Wales set to use more e-auctions

More public sector e-auctions are planned in Wales to help meet efficiency targets for 2005, according to Welsh Procurement Initiative's annual report.

Savings in 2004 were £24 million, including £1.5 million through a collaborative deal for telecoms services.

The first all-Wales e-auction for stationery and office supplies secured a 57 per cent savings.

A second all-Wales e-auction for PCs, laptops and printers netted savings of around 33 per cent.

"We are committed wherever appropriate to the use of e-auctions throughout our collaborative procurement programme," said Kerry Hussell, programme manager for value for money improvement within the WPI.

"Our e-auction savings to date average 12 per cent above those achieved through the collaborative procurement process and we are now looking at e-auctions for computer consumables and audio-visual equipment".

Additional savings were secured through the collaborative purchasing of car hire, recruitment advertising and photocopier supplies.

Increased use of the Welsh Purchasing Card, launched in 2002, saved around £500,000.